


I've got a ticket for a world where we belong

by jackandsamforever



Category: Longmire (TV)
Genre: But what can you do?, F/M, Prompt Fic, What-If, possible OOC fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24397066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackandsamforever/pseuds/jackandsamforever
Summary: Cady finds herself in a downward spiral in the aftermath of the JP Wright shooting.
Relationships: Cady Longmire/Jacob Nighthorse
Comments: 9
Kudos: 28





	I've got a ticket for a world where we belong

**Author's Note:**

> The fantastic unkemptseeker gave me the prompt, "Jacob wraps Cady in blanket", then was my cheerleader while I wrote it. Thank you! I appreciate you so much! Hopefully we can get the good ship, Jady, back afloat.
> 
> This is set during 5x08, with the Cady, Jacob, and Henry scene re-written. Thanks for reading!

Cady couldn’t stop crying. 

No matter what she did, she couldn’t make herself stop reliving the horror of yesterday and the idea that she had killed someone...actually shot a person and they were no longer breathing. Or talking. Or walking. Or laughing.

Fucking hell.

She was sitting behind her desk conspicuously wiping the traitorous tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her grey, long-sleeved shirt. She was exhausted and overwhelmed...and her father was radio silent. She hadn’t slept for over thirty hours, and there hadn’t been one phone call or text from him during that time to make sure she was doing ok. Jacob had texted her as soon as he heard, then told her he would be stopping by sometime today. She wholly appreciated his support in the absence of the Sheriffs.

Hearing the sound of a vehicle, she looked out the window and tried not to feel a little disappointed when it was Henry pulling up in his old, green truck and not Jacob. Grimacing, she stood up and did her best to erase any evidence that she had been crying.

He entered her office without a word and immediately drew her into his arms in an all-encompassing hug, mumbling comforting epitaphs into her ear. She broke down instantly and wrapped her own arms around him. He was as good as her dad, but a lot more supportive and way less critical. She loved him for it.

After a minute or two, she was able to compose herself and pulled away from him with a small smile, then tucked her hair behind her ears and looked up at him with hooded eyes. He reached forward and squeezed her arm before ducking his head a little to make eye contact with her. “I am not going to ask you how you are doing, but I am sorry you are going through this.”

She nodded and stood up a little straighter, squaring her shoulders. “Thanks, Henry. Just you being here means more to me than anything else.”

He gave her a sympathetic smile and opened his mouth to respond when the sound of another vehicle interrupted him. She peered out of the office and bit her lip when she saw Jacob climbing out of his car. 

They watched his progress in silence, and as soon as he stepped into the office doorway, Henry stepped forward and gave Cady another brief hug. “I will take my leave. Do not hesitate to call me if you need anything at all, Cady.”

She sniffed and gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Thanks, Henry.”

He nodded at her, then mumbled, “Jacob” in passing as he walked out the door.

Jacob waited until Henry got into his truck before he took a step inside the doorway and looked at Cady with searching eyes. She stayed silent, not knowing what to say or how to say it. 

“I’m sorry this happened, Cady.”

_Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry._ She looked away from him and took a deep breath, crossing her arms over her chest as if that could stop the tears from pooling in her eyes. Looking up at the ceiling, she was able to compose herself after a few seconds, then looked at him. “Me, too”, she managed to choke out before her throat closed up with everything she wanted to scream and yell.

He took another step forward, and she finally noticed that he was dressed rather casually; jeans and a t-shirt with a tan jacket..she swallowed noisily and closed her eyes. _He’s so damn handsome, and being so very sweet. If he had any inter-.. Focus, Cady!_

When she opened her eyes, he was less than a foot away from her now, closely studying her face with concern in his eyes. Usually, he kept them neutral and rather emotionless, so seeing that level of worry for her made her want to start crying again. Before she could say anything, he began to reach forward, but then stopped..his hand hanging in mid-air between them. Distractedly, she stared at the ring on his left finger, wondering, not for the first time, what kind of significance it held for him. 

He cleared his throat, breaking her free from her thoughts. “May I touch you?”

Cady was floored. She couldn’t recall him ever touching her before. Even just an accidental hand brush. She looked at him and nodded her consent, not trusting her voice to not squeak or crack.

Jacob reached forward and placed his palm on the junction of her neck and shoulders and wrapped his fingers softly around the back of her neck. 

His hand was warm and comforting, and it took all her mental fortitude to make herself speak, “I-I...want to get out of here, but I don’t want to go...home. I don--I can’t--”, she paused and took a breath, then said in a rather wobbly voice, “I don’t have anywhere to go.” 

Thankfully, he didn’t even bother to mention her father since he obviously knew better, and squeezed her neck once before letting go and dropping his arm to his side. He pursed his lips momentarily, seeming to debate something inside his head, then shrugged and looked at her again. “You can come with me.”

She opened her mouth to refuse, but changed her mind almost immediately. _Why the hell not?_ Honestly, working with Jacob the last few months had completely changed her opinion about him. He was a good man, and only wanted what was best for his people. Sometimes that meant defying her dad, but she didn’t blame him. Only in the last month or so had there been something there between them. She wasn’t sure what that something was, but she liked being around him. Liked talking to him. She wanted to see if there really was mutual interest, or it was just her stupid brain once again over-analyzing things. “Ok”, she said, then bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from saying anything else. She could’ve asked him where they were going to go. Or how long she could stay wherever they went. Or any number of questions, but she stayed silent. She was tired of overthinking everything. 

So she wasn’t going to think at all.

A kind of numb buzzing sound filled her brain as he gave her a half smile and put his hand in the middle of her back to lead her towards his car. He didn’t ask if she needed to grab anything, or if she wanted to drive her own car, or ask if it was ok if he drove her. It was nice to have someone make decisions for her for once. 

She wondered if she was finally going into shock.

He led her to the passenger side of his silver car and opened the door, then helped her inside and closed the door. She mechanically put her seatbelt on, then laid her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. She listened as he slid in the driver’s side, put on his seatbelt, and started the car.

Quiet, soothing classical music filled the inside of the car as he began driving. She didn’t know where they were going, but she trusted him; much to her father’s chagrin. He wasn’t going to harm her. She really believed that he cared about her well-being far more than Walt did. 

Her chest physically hurt at the thought.

Trying to distract herself, she started to meditate. Jacob seemed content to let her stay silent; which was something she very much appreciated. She was so tired, and she found herself drifting off to sleep before they even reached the main road. Her last thoughts weren’t of what had happened the day before, but of how safe she finally felt.

She hadn’t felt like that for a long time. 

How ironic that it was with her father’s biggest enemy.

******

“Cady, wake up.”

She didn’t want to open her eyes. She just wanted to sleep.

A small squeeze to her fingers forced her to reluctantly crack her eyes open. When she saw where they were, her eyes bulged. “Why are we at your house?!”

The soft look in his eyes contradicted the smirk on his face as he said, “No one will think to look for you here.” That statement made by any other person in any other context would’ve sounded like a threat, but she knew he didn’t mean it that way. 

Absentmindedly, she unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car, then watched as Jacob walked towards his house, only stopping to see if she was following. _Stop staring at him, Cady. Fuck.._ She physically pulled her eyes away from him and quickly fell into step next to him, doing her best to look at literally anything else.

He opened his front door and gestured with his arm for her to precede him. She slid past him (accidentally brushing the front of his body in the process) with little hesitation, and heard him shut the door. She bit her lip, feeling a little awkward and unsure of what to do now that she was alone with him in his big house. 

Saving her from further deliberation, he walked around her and into his living room, pointing to the couch as he passed by. “You can sit if you want. Or you can come with me to the kitchen. Or..” he paused for a moment and looked at her with a raised eyebrow..”you can go upstairs and sleep. I know you’re tired and I have a spare bed.”

She stood there for all of two seconds before deciding to follow him to the kitchen. “Do you want anything to drink?” He said, as she sat down on one of the bar stools. What she really wanted was some Tequila or Rum, but it probably wasn’t a good idea to get tipsy with him around. She might say something entirely too revealing or embarrassing.

“Tea, if you have it.”

He nodded and set to making it, turning his back to her. Taking the opportunity, she studied his kitchen. It was modern, with updated appliances, but it also had a western feel to it. It was actually something that she would love to have for herself. _Maybe you’ll be able to have this one._ She rolled her eyes at her wishful thinking and moved her eyes over to the man who still had his back to her. 

She loved his hair like this, a longer mohawk with the sides shaved close to his head. It looked good when the bottom was just long enough to peek out over the collar of his jacket. Lost in her own thoughts, she missed what he said, only to be brought back to reality when he set a steaming cup of tea in front of her. “You with me?”

She smiled and picked up the mug, more to give her a moment to compose herself than anything. “Yeah.”

He gave her a knowing look and took a drink of his own tea. She blushed and took another drink to hide it. After a few seconds of silence, he cleared his throat. “I don’t have much in the way of entertainment...but we could watch one of the old westerns I have on DVD.”

Honestly, she hated westerns, but it was something that wouldn’t require her to think, or make conversation, or even focus on really. She could pretend to watch as much as she wanted.

So instead of turning him down, she nodded. “That sounds like a great idea.”

He raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, but didn’t question her as he walked around the island and told her to follow him. She thought they were going to go to the living room that they had just walked through, but he led her through a door and down a flight of stairs into the basement. He flipped on a light, and she couldn’t help the tiny gasp that escaped through her lips at the sight in front of her.

It was a home theatre, complete with four big, poofy reclining chairs, a movie screen, and a projector at the back. It was all dark colors, but it felt inviting and relaxing, and that was just what she needed at the moment. She turned to him with her mouth still half open. “I thought you said you didn’t have ‘much in the way of entertainment’?” Finger quoting him to further her point.

He shrugged, “I don’t have very many movie choices. This came with the house, I rarely use it.”

Cady rolled her eyes and ran a finger over the soft leather of one of the recliners. “A lot of people would kill to have something like this”, she mumbled.

He had moved to the projector and was loading a reel into it, but looked up when she spoke. “What was that?”

She shook her head and moved to the second recliner in.. “Nothing.”

The projector started up, making a small humming, but almost unnoticeable sound. She flipped up the foot rest and settled further into the chair, setting her tea into the cupholder. It was really comfortable, and she could see herself easily falling asleep in it. Her eyes already felt scratchy and heavy, so it wouldn’t be long.

The movie started on the screen and the lights turned off, bathing them in almost complete darkness. He came around and sat next to her in the third chair over. He was only about six inches away, but she wished he was closer.

Instead of asking him to sit in the chair with her like her brain wanted her to, she cleared her throat and glanced over at him, only able to see his strong profile in the dim light from the screen. “What are we watching?” 

_“The Cowboys...”_ , he said, moving a little closer so she could hear him over the music playing in the background…”It’s the only John Wayne movie I’ve ever seen.”

“I take it you’re not a western fan either?” She moved closer to the side of the chair nearest him, and yawned quietly. 

Cady saw him shrug from the corner of her eye, “Not really a movie fan in general. As a kid, I always wanted to be outside, and nothing has changed in the fifty-five years I’ve been on this earth.”

She smiled, picturing a little Jacob running around his neighborhood getting into mischief. It was a thought that made her stomach do little flip-flops and caused unwanted daydreams of what a child of theirs would look like. Shivering at the thought, she forced herself to pay attention to the movie. Nothing much had happened since the opening credits.

“Are you cold?” He must’ve seen her shiver...if only he knew what had really caused it.

She looked at him with a sheepish smile. “A little.”

He got up quickly and walked behind the chairs, then came back around seconds later with a large blanket in his hands. “Stand up, please.” She stood, confused for a moment, and watched as he shook out the blanket. He stepped closer and wrapped it around her, bringing the ends up under her chin. She grabbed onto it, holding his hands in hers in the process...and feeling a pang of loss as he pulled his away.

“Better?” His voice was quiet and a little strained...and she wondered if he was feeling the same way as herself. She nodded, biting her lip, “Much better. Thank you, Jacob.”

He gave her a close-lipped half-smile and reluctantly stepped away from her and back into his chair. She sighed quietly and sat back down in her own chair, snuggling down into the cushions and laying her head down on the arm rest, then bringing the blanket up to her nose. It smelled of him, and a hint of something else she couldn’t place. Before she knew it, her eyes were beginning to close on their own accord..and she was powerless to stop it.

She might’ve been dreaming it, and she would never be able to prove it..but she was sure that his fingers passed through her hair a few times as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

XXXXXXXX

Cady woke up slowly, confused for a moment about when and where she was; and why her back hurt so fucking badly. Cracking her eyes open, she squinted up at the blank, white screen in front of her, finally remembering that she had fallen asleep next to Jacob while watching a western, wrapped in his blanket. Thank god it hadn’t been a dream.

She craned her neck and reached over to find that he was no longer there, and probably hadn’t been for a while, judging by the coldness of his seat. She stretched both arms over her head and yawned widely, wondering where he had gone. 

Putting the foot rest down, she stood up and wrapped the blanket tightly around her as she went in search of her host. She probably looked a mess, with her hair in a tangle and her makeup smudged, but she didn’t really care, and knew Jacob definitely wouldn’t.

As she made her way up the stairs, she could hear what sounded like arguing coming from above her, and just as she opened the door, she heard her father yell.

“You son of a bitch!”

Cady stepped out of the doorway and looked around wide-eyed at everyone standing in some kind of sick standoff. Ferg stood next to her father with a horrified look on his face. Jacob right in front of her, and Vic was nowhere to be seen. 

Jacob moved closer to her, seeming to feel the need to protect her from her own father. 

“Dad? What are yo-”

“Shut up, Cady”, her father growled as he approached Jacob slowly with his hand on his holster. He didn’t even spare her a glance as he continued, “What in the hell do you think you’re doing, Nighthorse?” 

She couldn’t believe the absolute hatred she was seeing her on dad’s face at the moment; and it was all directed at the man standing only a few inches away from her.

“I’m doing what you didn’t”, Jacob said quietly, his posture stiff but non-threatening.

“It’s not any of your business how I treat my daughter! Leave my family alone, you filthy, half-breed!” He was right in Jacob’s face now, but he still didn’t back down. 

Cady’s mouth fell open at the insult, shocked that he would call anybody that. She watched Jacob waive off the security officer behind Walt, shaking his head before staring at Walt, the line of his shoulders tense. 

Deciding she had enough, she stepped between them and shoved her dad in the chest. “Get the hell out of here, Walt.” Her voice sounded a little shrill, but she was having a hard time fighting back tears again, and fuck if she wasn’t going to let her father see her cry.

“Not without you, Cady. I can’t believe you’re here with _him_ ; and for you to come upstairs with your hair, he gestured wildly at her, looking like _that_. What in the hell are you thinking?!

She reached up to feel that her hair was most definitely the wild mess that she had suspected earlier, and knew he was making assumptions that were so very wrong. She opened her mouth to explain what really was going on, but Vic’s voice interrupted her, carrying through the room at an alarming decibel, “Walter Longmire! How fucking dare you!” 

The brief look of panic that crossed her father’s face would’ve been comical in any other instance, but all she could feel was grim satisfaction when Vic stomped into the house and grabbed him by the arm. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?! Not only did you illegally try to break into his house while his security stared at you, but it’s on video too, Walt. What if he presses charges?! This could get you suspended at the very least, and lose you the election. Have you lost your fucking mind?!”

Not giving him a chance to respond, she turned to Ferg, “And you! I told you not to fucking tell him where Cady was. Just because you’re location buddies, doesn’t give you the right to stalk her and tell on her!”

“I-I thought she was in tro-”, he tried to answer, but Vic interrupted him, “I don’t fucking care! You _knew_ how he would react!

She dragged Walt towards Ferg, then grabbed the younger officer by the sleeve and pulled them both out of the house without a second glance. The security guard nodded at Jacob and followed behind the trio, closing the door to the house on his way out.

The deafening silence that followed was only broken by Cady trying to hide the fact that she was crying again. Jacob turned and looked at her, anger crossing his face briefly, before moving forward and threading his arms around her. He pulled her tightly against him and buried his head in the crook of her neck, whispering words she couldn’t understand into her skin.

She couldn’t hug him back because she was holding the blanket, but she immediately felt comforted by his strong arms as she laid her head on his shoulder, utterly exhausted; physically and emotionally.

“I’m sorry, Jac-”

He lifted his head and interrupted her, “No, don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault.”

Cady sighed, too tired to argue with him. “Thank you,” she murmured close to his ear, feeling sleepy again.

He moved her away from him momentarily and locked eyes with her, “I have a spare bedroom…” He trailed off, his meaning clear.

She nodded and gave him a small smile, “Sounds perfect.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began leading her towards the stairs to go up to where the bedrooms were. She tried not to think about what all of this meant... for her and Jacob, and for her father. There should probably eventually be some kind of discussion, but for now, it could wait. And she wasn’t going to talk to her father again until he apologized to her AND to Jacob; which would absolutely kill him, but he needed to start facing the consequences of his actions.

She glanced at Jacob from the corner of her eye and tried not to smile. 

Maybe something good would come out of this after all.

_~fin_


End file.
